AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Carter Ends a Hot Month on a Cold Note

In the fourth inning, Joe Carter set a major league record with his 31st run batted in during April, at the same time assuming the American League home run leadership with a solo shot.

He had a chance to add to both totals and bring his Toronto Blue Jays back to even at Minneapolis with two out and runners on second and third in the eighth inning Saturday night.

“He’s been very hot this month,” Twin closer Rick Aguilera said. “He was certainly one of the last guys I’d want to face.”

But Aguilera retired Carter on a fly ball and then pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save in the Twins’ 11-9 victory.

“If you like action, the ballpark was the place to be,” Twin Manager Tom Kelly said. “Plenty of hitting, not too much pitching.”

The Twins had lost all eight games in which they had given up more than nine runs this season.

Kent Hrbek doubled home two runs and Scott Leius followed with a two-run homer, highlighting a five-run fourth inning that gave Minnesota the lead for good.

In winning, however, the Twins might have lost Hrbek.

He doubled twice, tying him with Rod Carew for third on Minnesota’s all-time list with 305. But he suffered a strained right hamstring on his fourth-inning double and had to leave the game. The Twins are listing his status as day to day, but Hrbek could barely move in the clubhouse and said: “It’s pulled, and it’s pulled good.”

Carter had begun Saturday tied with Colorado’s Andres Galarraga for the April RBI record with 30, but Galarraga’s game in Chicago was rained out.

Texas 14, Cleveland 6--Juan Gonzalez drove in six runs with a homer, double and single as the Rangers won in a cold, persistent downpour at Cleveland.

Will Clark had four hits and Ivan Rodriguez hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning. The Rangers, who outhit Cleveland, 19-9, scored 12 runs in the last three innings.

Cleveland starter Dennis Martinez gave up two runs--one unearned--and eight hits in six innings, walking none and striking out six. He left with a 4-2 lead, but the Indian bullpen blew it, keeping him winless in six starts.

Milwaukee 4, Kansas City 3--Turner Ward scored from first on Dave Nilsson’s two-out double in the 10th inning at Kansas City, sending the Brewers to a victory.

Ward, who made three dazzling catches in right field, singled against Hipolito Pichardo (0-1) with one out in the 10th. One out later, Nilsson hit a sinking liner to left field, and when Vince Coleman slipped and fell trying to make a play, Ward scored all the way from first. Coleman was charged with an error.

Baltimore 6, Seattle 4--Mike Mussina (5-1) went seven innings for his fifth victory, and Brady Anderson hit a three-run double at Seattle as the Orioles won for the fifth time in their last six games.

Lee Smith struck out one batter in a perfect ninth inning for his 12th save in as many chances.